Patio de Leon Alligator Fountain
Posted by: 
BoomersOTR
N 26° 38.617 W 081° 52.196
17R E 413417 N 2947258
A decorative eight-sided granite and stained concrete fountain crowned by a rotating granite sphere and eight climbing stone alligators.
Waymark Code: WMTRT0
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 01/04/2017
Views: 3
Patio de Leon was originally built in 1913 - 1915 by a retired banker and/or drug store owner from Benton Harbor, Michigan known as Peter Tonnelier and was called Tonnelier Court. In 1924 the courtyard was sold to George R. Sims, who remodeled and renamed it Patio de Leon.
In the center of the Patio de Leon is a fountain that pays homage to the original octagon shaped fountain that held live alligators back in the 1920’s and 1930’s. The alligators were originally a tourist attraction, but after several children lost fingers the fountain was replaced with a fruit and soda stand. Later in the 1960’s the stand was removed.
Historic photos show that the original fountain was larger in diameter and the base and sides were higher, with columns topped with lion heads at the corners of each of the eight sides. This was likely where the live alligators resided and indicates that it may have been constructed after George R. Sims remodeled the patio area with lion motifs.
The current fountain was constructed sometime in the 1990’s, however the artist is unknown. The fountain was redesigned in 2010 to look as it does today.
Visit Instructions:
Please post another photo of the fountain and tell us your opinion about the fountain.